OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 781 



West River is so liable to this accident that oyster-men 

 have abandoned that district altogether. It is believed by 

 many that the beds in the Sound, in water more than 

 twenty-five feet deep, are safe from disturbance from gales ; 

 but others decline to put their faith in any depth thus far 

 planted. Frequently oysters cast up by storms, if attended 

 to immediately, can be saved and replanted with profit." 



" Management of the Oyster Farm. Having secured a 

 colony of young oysters, upon the stools which have been 

 laid down for them, they are left alone until they attain the 

 age of three, four, or five years, according to their thrift 

 and the trade for which they are designated, by the end of 

 which time they have reached a large size and degree of 

 fatness, if the season has been favourable. If, as is largely 

 done by those planters who live at Oyster Point, the oysters 

 are to be sold as seed to Providence River or other planters, 

 they are taken up when only one or two years old. Not a 

 great quantity of this seed was so disposed of last year 

 not over 20,000 bushels, I should say. It is not considered, 

 as a rule, so profitable as to wait for the maturity of the 

 stock." 



THE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF NEW YORK. 



In early days, the waters of the vicinity of the city of 

 New York abounded in oysters, and most of the early 

 writers speak of their fine flavour, and great size and abun- 

 dance. As early as 1715 the colonists began to be alarmed 

 by the diminution of the supply, and it was found necessary 

 to pass the following law :- 



" From and after the publication of this act, it shall not 

 be lawful for any person or persons whatever, native free 

 Indians only excepted, from and after the first day of May 

 until the first day of September, annually, to gather, rake, 



